SELLING PLATFORMS

There is now a number of online systems and software for direct sales, and the options are growing. The software/systems are designed to provide your on-line shop, take payments, and then store and manage the data for you, for your accounts, newsletters, packing and distribution lists, and to manage stock. Most offer a trial period. Below is a non-exhaustive list of existing online systems and software available.

Farmers and growers suggest not forgetting that, while small, you may be able to manage purely with an Excel spreadsheet, or even just a book!

We’ve omitted some systems from this list, including Local Food Nodes and Reko, which are interesting models (even though they are based on proprietary software), but don’t yet have enough presence here in the UK and may detract from similar models establishing themselves, notably the Open Food Network, which is the only open source software that is widely available and building a global network of small-scale food enterprises.

Boxmaster
A box management solution with UK-based technical support, designed for medium to large box schemes, it includes features specific to box schemes, such as allowing for substitutions and to set up holidays, and to import price lists from UK wholesalers such as Infinity Wholefoods.
 * Cost: 2% of turnover through Boxmaster up to the first 150 deliveries per week; 1% of turnover through Boxmaster for further deliveries.
 * Example user: Barcombe Nurseries

Bucky Box
Designed in New Zealand to help support a local food system, specifically for local food producers. Bucky Box has mixed reviews by users, with some swearing by it. It has no support service.
 * Cost: £35 a month + 0.5% per delivery, capped at 15p
 * Example user: Ashurst Organics

Ooooby
This software is designed for groups of farmers who together want to sell into a local food hub, from where the produce is either collected by, or delivered to, customers. Supports customisable boxes. Still establishing itself in the UK.
 * First UK user: Bristol Veg Boxes

Open Food Network
The OFN is a social enterprise developed in support of local food. It’s designed to direct shoppers and buyers to local food producers in their area and to allow on-line ordering (and payment) of produce for collection either from the farm, via home delivery or from a local food hub. It offers customers a fair degree of choice, particularly as the number of food producers in any given area grows. It’s considered to be more complicated than necessary for a simple box scheme. There are good reviews of the platform, including that it provides good support. Users suggest investing time in learning all its features.
 * Costs: From £1 per month or a reducing % of turnover as turnover increases - see pricing schedule.
 * Example user: Down Farm

Oxton Organics
Oxton Organics (box scheme) had bespoke software developed for them, and the developer can share this with other box schemes. The software has all the features of other box scheme software such as Boxmaster, and can also produce Soil Association reports.
 * Cost: personalised quote will be provided upon request from DMS Studio, http://www.dmstudio.co.uk, 01386 881779

Food Commerce
An e-commerce platform providing online shop, delivery slots, click and collect and picking lists, that allow customers to change their orders and take payment after collection or delivery.
 * Cost: £49/month up to 100 orders and 49p per order thereafter

There are a wide range of online shop ‘plug-ins’ that can be built into your website. We have not reviewed the range of options here but information is freely available on the internet.

Sustain provides a list of web platforms for small-scale producers: https://www.sustainweb.org/coronavirus/selling_platforms_for__food_orgs/